onsdag 29. desember 2021

Denise Ho: the Cantopop star and pro-democracy activist arrested in Hong Kong

The arrest of Cantopop star Denise Ho in a raid on reporters and prominent figures linked to the Hong Kong media outlet StandNews has shocked her many fans in the city and around the world. The artist was taken from her home in Hong Kong on Wednesday for allegedly conspiring with five others to publish seditious materials in her role as a former director of the independent news provider. Ho’s arrest marks the first time a popstar of global renown has been detained for a political crime after Beijing imposed a national security law on Hong Kong 18 months ago in response to months of pro-democracy protests in 2019.

The artist had long been an outspoken public figure. Born in Hong Kong and raised in Canada, she is hero to the region’s LGBT community, as one of the first local celebrities to come out almost a decade ago.